Malik Isasis

Malik Isasis, Seattle born filmmaker, son of a single mother, and absentee father, found his calling in storytelling. Inspired by many artists, Spike Lee and Claire Denisare disparate voices that profoundly influenced Malik’s filmic language. It started with Lee, whose storiesexplore African American lives in a verité way—protest-art films with a vibrant and visually passionatestyle. Years later, Claire Denis ushered in a new sense of storytelling for the filmmaker—silence with impliedemotion, elliptical, heavy on mood, and unresolved relationships. Malik’s stories delve into social realismand explore themes of humanity and identity through the intractable triumvirate of race, class, and power. Watch his latest film ÖTE, a film about Lela's trip to Turkey that celebrated its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, exclusivly on Sooner. ÖTE is more than a film about traveling alone; it celebrates crossing borders, both geographically and personally, and presents a fresh, encouraging narrative that reflects the spirit of exploration and discovery. In our SoonerCast Interview Malik talks about his own travel experiences that inspired the film and addresses the importance of diverse representations of black women in film, away from the prevalent "trauma porn". Listen now and find out more! Check out our Sooner Podcast and his favorite movies on Sooner in this curators channel.